The registry, also known as the registry or the RDB, is very often requested by the user anxious to optimize his system, to personalize it but also to repair it. But do we really know the Windows registry? We are going through this article to try to understand the main structures and know how to handle them optimally. We will see later how to clean and save the registry, which keys to monitor and which tools to use for its manipulation.
Presentation
The system is constantly requested by the system and the programs which come to collect configuration information in order to make the system and your programs work properly. If information is wrong in the registry, Windows may send you an alert message or possibly your system will crash at startup or during your activity. Viruses or malware also come to modify various configuration parameters in the registry, which then alters the proper functioning of your machine.
What actions can be performed on it? There are various possibilities to intervene on the registry: Windows tools, specific tools, etc. At first glance, the registry may seem complicated to the average user because the keys and values ​​are given in English and are not always explained at first. However, once you understand how it works, it becomes easier to navigate its structure. We will try to take stock of the subject (Windows 2000 / XP / 2003).
The registry is an essential element for the proper functioning of your system, it is important to always make a backup before modifying anything.
What is the register?Windows keeps all the information related to the system configuration, this information can be viewed in a database called Registry. The Registry contains the profiles of each computer user, as well as information about system hardware, installed programs, and property settings. Windows constantly uses this information during system startup and during its operation. Whenever you change a property using a dialog box on your system, Windows immediately writes this change to the registry. This is valid for all the actions that you perform with your system.
This information is present in various files called hives (hives) present on your operating system, these files are found in several directories:
C: Documents and Settings % USERPROFILE% (% USERPROFILE% -> corresponds to the name of the sessions)C: Documents and Settings % USERPROFILE% Local Settings Application Data Microsoft Windows C: Windows System32 Config C: Windows System32 Config systemprofile C: Windows System32 GroupPolicy
The main names of these files:ntuser.dat, UsrClass.dat, default, SAM, SECURITY, software, systemYou cannot edit these files directly (nor copy them, delete them even if you are the administrator of the machine) simply because they are used by the system. You must use a tool known as the Registry Editor to view their content or make changes to it.
In fact, when we access the registry thanks to the editors, we find all this information stored in different files that we will see later.
